cape verde islands

The ten glittering jewels that form the Atlantic archipelago of Cape Verde lie approximately 1400km south of the Canary Islands and 500km from Senegal on Africa's west coast.

As the nearest tropical islands to western Europe, Cape Verde enjoys a year-round tropical climate, crystal clear waters and a surprisingly diverse range of landscapes for such a small area of land.

Map of Cape Verde

Each island has its own physical characteristics, with the three easterly islands of Sal, Boavista and Maio offering miles of pure white sandy beaches and an almost entirely flat landscape with very little vegetation - and therefore no mosquitoes.

The seven westerly islands of Santiago, Sao Vicente, Santo Antao, Fogo, Brava, Sao Nicolau and uninhabited Santa Luzia are completely different with breathtaking mountains and lush valleys full of colourful vegetation, but still with beautiful beaches.

The islands were uninhabited until discovered by the Portuguese in 1456 and colonised in 1495. Over the centuries, African blood brought by the slave trade mixed with European to result in today's friendly Cape Verdean people who speak a blend of Portuguese, Creole and English.

 
 
member login